Through Other Eyes
by eagles1254
Summary: Rogan oneshot! A look at the progression of Rory's life from the time he left to her wedding day.


The payphone he called her from rings and he picks it up but does not speak. He listens as she passionately tells him off for the things that he did to drive her crazy during their fairly short relationship. He can't believe how much he hurt her and how he did not even realize it at the time. He never knew and now he can't fix it. He's made the biggest mistake of all. He left the best thing that ever happened to him.

Over a year later, he sees her again, briefly. She screams at him and doesn't listen to his explanation, opting instead to run away. Then he sees her for a short amount of time before his mother's wedding, but Luke, always protective of her as though she's his own daughter, tries to keep him away from her. Luke doesn't trust him and that hurts him more than many things. They speak briefly, and she seems to have forgiven him. She looks truly happy, and Jess knows it has nothing to do with him. That breaks his heart.

She tells him she's unattached, but he's not stupid or naïve: she's no longer interested. He blew his chance to be with the most amazing girl he ever met. He fell for her, and he's still in love. He can tell, though, that her feelings for him are purely platonic at best. She doesn't look at him like she used to and that's the most telling thing of all. The caring that those bright blue eyes used to hold has been replaced with a friendly, yet distant gaze. They exchange pleasantries and small talk for fifteen minutes before she leaves.

He drops by her dorm once and she is with Dean. How he hates Dean Forrester. The pretty boy had her when he arrived in Starts Hollow and he managed to hang to her for altogether too long a time. Finally, they broke up, and he had her. Then he comes back during her freshman year at Yale, and Dean is at her dorm. In a moment of panic, he thinks that she and Dean are back together and begs her, without dignity, to go with him. She, more mercilessly that he thought was possible of her, shoots him down, telling him that she no longer loves him. He hangs his head and leaves.

He sees her from a distance while visiting Luke. For the first time, the sight of her revolts him. Dean has her back and she's smiling as she talks animatedly to him and her mother. She glances up at him, and Jess catches a share of the glance. There is no love in it, he is relieved to see. He knows then that Dean is a stage, and she will move on. Maybe then, he'll have his chance.

His thought that he might have a chance with her fades with the appearance in her life of Logan Huntzberger, a handsome, blonde-haired, chocolate-eyed, rich Yale player. The one type Jess was sure Rory would never fall for. As well as he knows her though, he can see that Rory loves Logan Huntzberger.

When he first sees them together, it is obvious that they are in love although he isn't sure if they know it yet. Logan is always touching her. Almost all the time that they are together, Logan's arm is wrapped protectively around her waist. If his arm isn't enveloping her, he is touching her in some other manner, whether it is a soft touch on the hair or a peck on the cheek. It looks as though Logan can't go more than five seconds without touching her. She isn't much better. If they are sitting, her hand is permanently fixed to his knee. When they are standing, their hands are entwined or she is leaning subtly into his side while his arm is wrapped around her. They are always touching as though there is no tomorrow. And then one day there isn't—at least not for a very long time.

He hears from Luke that Logan is sent to London after he graduates. His first thought is that Rory must be lonely, and a visit from an old friend would be helpful. Luke quickly smothers that idea by ordering him to stay away from Yale and her by extension no matter how lonely he thinks Rory is. "She's got tons of friends," Luke tells him impatiently. "She's very popular and by no means alone. Don't even enter New Haven."

He thinks this ultimatum is ridiculous. Who is Luke to order him around anymore? He gives Luke a patented eye roll but reluctantly agrees to stay out of New Haven. If he decides to visit her, Luke doesn't need to know anyway. He probably isn't even going to go to Yale. It's too smart, too preppy. It's too…Ivy League-y. He laughs softly at his choice of adjectives. It is an Ivy League school after all. For all her intelligence, it's adjectives like these that seem to be Rory's favorites. He wonders how she is doing without someone so important to her around. He leaves the diner and sees Lorelai walking toward Luke's. He knows that they are dating now, so she probably spends a lot of time in the diner. He flags her down, shouting, "Lorelai." She looks shocked but crosses the street and greets him. He asks her how she's doing, but they both know the small talk only acts as a segue to the real topic of their conversation: Rory.

Finally he asks about her and Lorelai responds as though she's been preparing her answers throughout the duration of their small talk. "Rory has many friends at Yale, as well as Lane and I, who are being very supportive in helping her when Logan's not around."

He knows that he must refrain from rolling his eyes and does—barely. He does not understand why everyone is trying to protect Rory from him. Don't they know he has changed? If they don't, they should. He is much more mature and is not looking for her to be his girlfriend. He just wants to see her, to make sure she is okay.

After much consideration and pleading from Jess, Lorelai gives in and provides him with Rory's address, and he heads for New Haven. He is sure as he drives down the highway that Lorelai has already told Luke about his plan to visit Rory. Luke would be furious.

As he sees the sign for the exit to New Haven, his cell phone rings. He knows exactly who it is and what he wants. Jess strongly considers not answering. He does, though, just before the voice mail picks up because he knows that not answering will make Luke even angrier. If he answers it, Luke will have a chance to vent about things and will be calmer when he returns to the diner. To make sure it's Luke calling, he glances at the caller ID before answering. "What?"

"You've crossed the line."

"Who do you think you are? My father?"

"No, I'm your uncle who you're staying and who told you specifically to stay away from New Haven."

"You have no authority to do that. I'm a legal adult now."

"I swear to god," Luke snarled, "if you lay a finger on Rory Gilmore, you will wish you were never born."

Jess was now slightly scared. Luke sounded serious, and you did not ever want to cross Luke Danes. "Relax," he sneered, not letting Luke know how frightened he actually was. "I won't touch her, okay?"

"Okay," Luke agrees, angrily. "I'm still not happy about this though."

"Whatever," he snaps and ends the conversation by shutting his phone loudly. He drives a few more miles before the exit for New Haven comes up and he gets off the highway. As he follows Lorelai's directions to her apartment, he can't help but wonder what her reaction will be. Will she scream at him to go away like she several years ago? Will she be distantly polite like she was at his mother's wedding? Or maybe she'll greet him like the old friend that he is. He doubts that, however, and quickly pushes the possibility out of his mind.

He makes a left turn and passes part of Yale's campus. Lorelai said that she lives about 1.5 miles from here. Excited, he presses the gas just a bit harder and accelerates, ready to see Rory.

He heart falls, however, when he pulls into the parking lot and does not see Rory's Prius. Not wanting to lose all hope yet, he approaches the door and buzzes apartment 18. He waits several minutes, but there is no answer. He buzzes and waits once more but still gets no answer. Now discouraged, he trudges back to his car, hands stuffed in his pockets and head hanging low. It doesn't surprise him that she's not home. Lorelai had told him how popular she is. Of course, she's out on a Saturday. He knew that she would have friends—many of them.

Maybe, he thinks as the Yale campus disappears from his rear view mirror, it is for the best that she's not there. He truly has no intentions to hurt her relationship with the blond pretty boy. Sighing, he gets back on the highway and returns to Stars Hollow.

Upon his return, Luke is still steaming mad and barely speaks to him as he enters the diner. Later that night he comes down from the apartment to grab a cup of coffee but never enters the diner. When he quietly pulls aside the curtain that blocks the stairs from view, he sees Lorelai perched on Luke's side of the counter with Luke standing between her legs, hand gently resting on her thighs.

"Luke, really," Lorelai is saying, playing absently with the collar of his blue plaid flannel. "Rory would not have minded. She is very secure right now. He's an old friend that she would have been happy to see."

Luke sighs. "It's not even that I don't trust Jess." He looks down, away from Lorelai's eyes. "Things are going so well for Rory and Logan, even though he's away, right?" He looks around but doesn't notice Jess.

"Very well," Lorelai confirms. She pauses. "Don't worry about her so much, Luke. She's doing really well."

Jess cringes, hearing Lorelai's words to Luke. He wants her to be well, but he wishes so much that it's him making her happy not this rich, pretty boy that satisfies her even from 3,000 miles away.

Luke seems happy, though and leans to kiss Lorelai softly. Sickened by their obvious love, Jess turns away, all thoughts of coffee gone from his head.

Nearly a week later, he shakes hands with Luke outside Logan Airport in Boston and brings his luggage inside. He checks his bags and then wanders around the airport knowing he is quite early for his flight. He watches the flight boards. A flight from Los Angeles is on time. He wonders if that's the plane he's taking. Another flight from London is on time as well as one from Rome and two others: one from the Czech Republic and one from Iceland. He continues walking, passing the baggage claim and a brunette couple with a young child. He passes a gate and hears a man gushing into his cell phone about the beauty of Greenland. He rolls his eyes and sees a sign hanging from the ceiling pointing the direction to Gate 34, which he was leaving from. He passes a JetBlue gate and then an attractive redhead, leaning against a metal rail. She is talking to a girl with shoulder length, dark brown hair, curling at the ends. He considers approaching the redhead and is almost there when the brunette turns and glances at the people pouring out of the gate. He sees her face and nearly drops dead of shock. This girls far outshines her friend, with curling dark brown hair brushing her shoulders and sideswept bangs. Her nose is delicate, her smile bright, but none of her features are as stunning as her eyes. They are the brightest blue, contrasting gorgeously with her brown hair. Rory Gilmore is as stunningly beautiful as ever, and his heart stops not only at the sight of her, but at the look that overtakes her face moments after he spots her.

An enormous smile spreads across her features, and her cheeks become rosy. She moves along the rail, and he follows her bright blue gaze to the sight he knows will be there. Walking out from under a British Airways sign above the gate is Logan Huntzberger. He hurries toward her, a smile just as large on his face and drops his carry on several yards away, opening his arms to her. She runs into them, throwing herself onto him. He wraps his arms tightly around her and buries his face in her hair, eyes closed.

Jess shrinks back into the shadows and watches their reunion. After they pull apart enough to look each other in the eyes, Logan keeps one arm tight around Rory's waist and reaches up with the other to smooth back her dark brown curls. He leans down to her ear and whispers in it. She laughs, a musical sound, beautiful to his ears. Then she leans up and kisses Logan soundly on the lips.

The bottom of Jess' stomach drops out, and he strides quickly toward his gate, turning his back on a Rory Gilmore clearly in love with another man.

The _Hartford Courant _is lying on the step of Jess Mariano's southern Connecticut home, alongside the same day's edition of the _New York Times. _At 7:30 in the morning, the owner of the home pulls open the door and claims the two newspapers.

Slowly he shuts the door and yawns as he wanders into the kitchen, pulling a box of Wheaties with David Ortiz of the Red Sox on the front out of the cabinet. He regards Ortiz with calculated disinterest, for, unlike his uncle, a rabid baseball and Red Sox fan, fat men running around in tight pants don't interest him. He simply enjoys Wheaties. Opening the _New York Times,_ he reads an article in Arts and Leisure about a series of orange gates in Central Park. He skims over an article about the death of a New York City man in the Middle Eastern conflict. He notices that the Red Sox beat the Yankees the night previously and are leading the division by four games. He always notices, probably because of Luke.

He checks the local news in the _Hartford Courant_. He likes to read the stories of local people, the reason he subscribes to the _Courant_. He reads the front page, the business page and the sports page before opening the local news section, yawning again. He reads about a man from Greenwich, Connecticut making a name for himself in Maine as a lobster man. He checks the obituaries, as he does daily. As he shuts the local section and stands to go prepare for work, a headline catches his eye: **Gilmore-Huntzberger Union Thrills Most, Disappoints Few, **by Mark Walters, _special to the Hartford Courant._

_Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, daughter of Richard and Emily Gilmore, and Christopher Hayden, son of Francine and the late Straub Hayden, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Lorelai "Rory" Leigh Gilmore III to Logan Elias Huntzberger, son of Mitchum and Shira Huntzberger. The Gilmores, Haydens and Huntzbergers are all high profile members of Hartford's elite upper class social circuit. All three families are extraordinarily pleased with the agreement, but none take credit. "While Richard and I are thrilled by Rory and Logan's decision to wed, this is in no way an arranged marriage. My granddaughter and Logan met without my, Francine's or Shira's interference at Yale University and became friends, fell in love and are now engaged, completely of their own accord._

_Shira Huntzberger agrees: "Logan and Rory are blissfully in love, the type of love that many people search for their entire lives and never find. It's the type of love that no arrangement could ever create."_

_The Gilmores, while certainly rich and influential, are the least wealthy of the three families. Mr. Richard Gilmore was the CEO of a very successful insurance agency for many years._

_Francine and Straub Hayden are the elite of the elite in the Hartford Social Circuit. The combination of their son, Christopher, and the Gilmores' daughter, Lorelai, gives Rory Gilmore (who grew up with her mother and took her name) arguably the best blood in Hartford. _

_Shocking to many, Miss Gilmore's blood is, in fact, better than Mr. Huntzberger's. Even more shocking to many is Gilmore and Huntzberger's apparent lack of affinity for the Hartford Elite. One member, choosing to remain anonymous, said, "Rory and Logan make a fantastic match. They are both intelligent and have much potential, and they both seem to have a certain disdain for our Social Circuit. Perhaps they believe they are too good for it." _

_Regardless, Logan's father, Mitchum, is an immeasurably successful man in the newspaper business. His company, Huntzberger Media, owns big time newspapers such as the New York Times and the Boston Globe and is in the process of purchasing USA Today. _

_As for outside the immediate families of Gilmore and Huntzberger, the opinions differ. One member of the Hartford Social Circuit, who also requested to remain anonymous, says this of the match: "Rory Gilmore is an uncultured, illegitimate girl. She was raised without a father and, no matter her bloodlines, is no where near in Logan Huntzberger's league."_

_Most, however, feel that Gilmore is right for Huntzberger. Dean Forrester, an ex-boyfriend of Ms. Gilmore's says this about her relationship with Mr. Huntzberger: "Rory is beautiful, intelligent and funny and deserves any good fortune that comes her way. She deserves anyone no matter her upbringing or her mother's age when she was born."_

_Another prominent woman on the Hartford Social Circuit, who also wished to remain anonymous, expressed a different opinion from her peer. "The Gilmore-Huntzberger match is made in heaven," she gushed. "They're both so beautiful and intelligent. And you can't tell me that Emily hasn't thought about her blue eyes and his blonde hair on a child, and those blood lines, too! Can you imagine being 25 Gilmore, 25 Hayden and 50 Huntzberger? Wow!"_

_As for Gilmore and Huntzberger themselves, they, of course, are also thrilled. Says Ms. Gilmore, "Logan and I are very much in love and cannot wait to be married."_

_Mr. Huntzberger agrees. "I can't wait to marry Rory. I love her more than I ever thought possible. I've never felt so deeply for anyone before."_

_The details of the wedding are as follows. The two will be married on July 12, 2006 on the beach of Nantucket off of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. The maid of honor will be Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, the bride's mother. The bridesmaids are to be Stephanie Vanderbilt and Lane Kim, friends of the bride. The best man is Colin McCrae, friend of the groom, and the groomsmen are Seth Carnegie and Finnegan Morgan, friends of the groom. The ceremony will be private._

He blinks and reads the article over again. She's getting married? He thinks incredulously and then back tracks. It's not that shocking, really. It was obvious that time he saw them in the airport that they are hopelessly, wonderfully in love. He's in love too, but it isn't wonderful, not when she's getting married.

To another man.

Three weeks later, a stiff off white envelope addressed to Jess Mariano arrives in his mailbox. He sits down at his kitchen table and opens it. A parchment-like blue card is inside. The front has a black-and-white picture of Logan and Rory. He is holding her around the waist, and they look into each other's eyes. Her hands are placed on his chest and the soft smile playing at her lips tells Jess that the genuine smile on Logan's face is rare, but it makes Rory happy. Beneath the clearly candid photograph, the card reads "Logan Huntzberger and Rory Gilmore." He opens the card. Inside it is an off white with a navy blue border. The writing is black script reading: _Ms. Lorelai Gilmore and Mr. Christopher Hayden cordially invite you to the marriage of their daughter Lorelai Leigh Gilmore III to Logan Elias Huntzberger, son of Mitchum and Shira Huntzberger at two o'clock PM on July 12, 2007. The wedding will be on Nantucket Island at 43 Foley Road._

Below the script is a printed seal: an intertwined R and L. Jess flips the card over and sees a short note in Rory's precise print.

_Dear Jess,_

_I hope you know that both Logan and I really want you to come to the wedding. I consider you to be a close friend_ _although we do have a history, and I cannot imagine getting married without you there. Logan understands this and hopes, for my sake, to see you there. I can safely promise that my mom will happily welcome you if you choose to attend. Please know that I would love for you to be there._

_Your close and loving friend,_

_Rory_

_P.S. I can also safely promise that Logan will treat you a whole lot better than he did last time you met him (he's not the jerk you think he is). If he doesn't, his wedding night won't exactly be what he dreamed._

Jess laughed quietly. Enclosed is an RSVP card. Jess reads it, Rory's note still on his mind. There are four choices on it under the line for the potential attendant's name: chicken, beef, vegetarian and unable to attend. Jess checks off the beef selection and puts the RSVP card in the mail.

As he drives to work the following morning, Jess considers the arrival and of the invitation. How could this stiff envelope just float in and change his life when everything was going so well?

He sits toward the back in a white padded folding chair with a floral arrangement pinned to the back. He watches as Logan Huntzberger greets the guests in the first few rows and meanders down the aisle, waving to a few people as he goes. Logan does not smile but nods acknowledgment to Jess. He is smartly clad in a white suit with a light blue shirt and a while tie. He reaches the end of the aisle, and Jess sees where the man is headed.

Lorelai Gilmore stands smiling at the end of the aisle. Since he's seated in the last row, Jess can hear their conversation. "How's she doing?" Logan asks, in what Jess grudgingly admits is a caring tone.

"She's great," Lorelai soothes patting him on the shoulder.

"Are we lamost read to go? I can't wait much longer."

"That's why I'm here. Rory's ready, you're ready, the minister's ready."

"Okay, can you send my groomsmen out, please?"

"Of course," Lorelai smiles. "Logan, don't worry. She can't wait to marry you. She loves you so much."

"I love her more," Logan says softly.

Lorelai inclines her head in recognition and turns her back. As the groomsmen wander to the front, Jess wonders if he was meant to witness Rory's life from afar. He dated her, saw much of her life and now is witnessing her marriage to another man. The groomsmen take their places, and the music starts. The first bridesmaid down the aisle is a blonde girl who Jess doesn't recognize. She must be Stephanie Vanderbilt, a college friend of Rory's, Jess assumes. She is wearing a halter top light blue dress reaching to mid-calf with light blue stilettos. She carries a bouquet of white lilacs. Next is Lane Kim in a spaghetti strap dress of the same color and length. Following Lane is Lorelai Gilmore looking stunning in a strapless light blue dress. Lorelai reaches the altar, and the music changes.

Everyone turns to look at Rory. She wears a white silk dress with a fitted bodice, and a skirt which flares at the waist into a full skirt. The bodice is adorned with patterns of silver and gold beads connected by silver thread fading away as the skirt flares out.

Louis Armstrong's _What a Wonderful World _begins to play, and Rory walks down the aisle with a radiant smile on her face. Once Rory passes him, Jess examines Logan as she proceeds toward him. His eyes are clearly linked with Rory's. They are filled with caring, and more obviously, love. A small smile flickers across Logan's face, and Jess can picture Rory's beautiful smile in his mind's eye, but even there it is directed at Logan, not him. At that moment Jess knows for sure that Rory Gilmore is no longer his, if she ever was.

She reaches the altar, and Luke pushes back her veil and kisses her cheek before placing her hand in Logan's in the ceremonial giving away gesture. He sees the beautiful smile she sends to Logan and the love in his eyes as he smirks in return.

As the two lovingly exchange their vows, with Logan calling her 'Ace', Jess wonders why he has seen everything play out in Rory and Logan's relationship. He was one of the first to know when they began to date, could tell when they fell in love, quite possibly before they knew. Hopefully, he thinks, watching her marry another man is the closure he needs, and he can let her go. Maybe he'll meet another girl, and he'll finally be able to let Rory Gilmore walk out of his romantic life for good. He turns his attention back to the ceremony where Logan is leaning in to kiss Rory. After a kiss tasteful for the occasion, they pull apart, and the minister smiles, "I present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Logan Huntzberger." The crowd claps, and cameras flash. Jess knows that the union will be covered in full detail in the next day's _Hartford Courant. _

Rory and Logan walk down the aisle to greet the guests. The line grows quickly with two journalists rushing to the front. It progresses slowly as quests, many of whom Jess is sure neither Rory nor Logan knows, congratulate the newlyweds with large smiles plastered on their faces. Jess waits in line, mostly watching Rory smile falsely at people and occasionally turning one of the radiant smiles she saves for someone special on somebody. Finally he reaches the front of the line. Rory smiles a real smile and hugs him tightly. "Thank you so much for coming, Jess. How have you been?"

He smiles at her enthusiasm. It's good to know that he's been forgiven. "Congratulations, Rory, Logan. I believe those are most definitely in order."

"Thanks, Jess," Logan says, smiling but grasping Rory's hand very tightly nonetheless. Rory smiles up at him and eases some of his tension.

"Do you have a pen?" Rory asks. "I want your phone number, so you, Logan and I can get together."

"Do you have a piece of paper?" Jess asks practically.

"You can just write it on my hand," Rory suggests brightly. Jess and Logan both laugh incredulously.

"I'm married and my wife is still getting boys' numbers written on her hand," Logan laughs.

"You're hilarious," she scoffs sarcastically.

"I know," Logan says, "that's why you love me." Rory stands on her tiptoes and gently presses her lips to Logan's in a soft kiss before leaning into his side and turning back to Jess, still smiling.

"Luke has my number," Jess assures her and walks away.

He watches as the wedding party takes pictures. First the entire wedding party: Lorelai, Stephanie Vanderbilt, Lane, Colin McCrae, Jonathan Huntzberger and Finnegan Rothschild, along with, obviously, Rory and Logan. Then Lorelai, Luke, Rory, Logan, Shira and Mitchum take pictures, followed by the same people with Christopher instead of Luke. After that Rory's grandparents (Richard, Emily and Francine), Rory, Logan and Logan's parents take a picture. After several more pictures, the wedding party proceeds to the reception.

Jess admits that he did have a nice time at the reception. He speaks with Luke for a long time and dances with several girls who say they're Rory's friends from college. Rory and Logan dance the first dance. They cut the cake together and smear it in each others' faces, with Rory succeeding in getting much more in Logan's face than vice versa. The toasts were made by Lorelai, during which she told some embarrassing stories about Rory and thanked Logan for treating Rory so well, and Finnegan Rothschild, who was slightly drunk but managed to convey how much Rory and Logan truly were in love. Many hours later, Rory throws the bouquet which is caught by the attractive red haired girl that Jess saw at the airport with Rory over a year previously. She smirks at Finn who smiles. "If you get married soon, it won't be to me, doll," he drawls in a distinct Australian accent. Rory laughs.

Logan says, "You'd be surprised, but I bet you'll be ready to settle down sooner than you think, Finn."

Logan turns and grasps Rory's hand, and they begin to walk away. Jess looks away and by the time he looks back, they're far in the distance, merely specks. Rory's laughter floats back to them, as they stroll into the sunset. It's the sunset of a chapter of both Rory and Jess' lives, but tomorrow's sunrise will bring a new section for both of them. Maybe they'll be friends. Maybe not. She'll be the incandescently happy girl who just married the love of her life. He'll be heartbroken, at least for awhile, but he'll move on.

They'll both be okay.


End file.
